The political action group Bus Riders United and the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority reached a compromise Thursday night that both sides said would spare "demand response" riders some pain — although some claim it doesn't go far enough.

The political action group Bus Riders United and the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority reached a compromise Thursday night that both sides said would spare "demand response" riders some pain — although some claim it doesn't go far enough.

"Ideally, we wanted equal fares for everyone. ... But that wasn't going to happen," said Siggy Meilus, an organizer with Bus Riders United.

SRTA's advisory board approved the compromise after weeks of lobbying by Bus Riders United and other political action groups to keep fares below the proposed $3 one-way flat fare for demand response, a service in which small buses pick people up at their homes. Riders are currently charged $1.25 per zone, and the community groups said the flat rate would hurt passengers who travel within a single zone.

SRTA spokesman Eric Rousseau called the deal "a way to continue moving forward."

Each city in SRTA's service area has two zones and each town is considered its own zone, Rousseau said.

The single-zone fare will rise from $1.25 to $1.75 next year and to $2.25 in 2014. When traveling more than one zone, riders will be charged $3 through 2015 when paying by cash. Currently, they are charged $1.25 per zone.

For trips more than 2 miles from a fixed route, he said, riders will be assessed an additional $1 for the next three years.

SRTA also will be offering passes for 10 rides for $25 regardless of the number of zones.

"We worked very hard to understand each other's point of view," Rousseau said. "Ultimately, I think the resolution will move the authority forward."

Meilus, however, said Bus Riders United was still unhappy with the rise in fares to $3.

"Neither side is 100 percent satisfied. ... The fares are going to go to $3; we're not OK with that," she said. "Sometimes proposals have to be looked at again."